Grade 7: "Kindness" by Naomi Shihab Nye

This poem explores what it takes to understand the true meaning of kindness.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. dissolve
    become or cause to become soft or liquid
    Before you know what kindness really is
    you must lose things,
    feel the future dissolve in a moment
    like salt in a weakened broth.
  2. desolate
    providing no shelter or sustenance
    What you held in your hand,
    what you counted and carefully saved,
    all this must go so you know
    how desolate the landscape can be
    between the regions of kindness.
  3. landscape
    an expanse of scenery that can be seen in a single view
    What you held in your hand,
    what you counted and carefully saved,
    all this must go so you know
    how desolate the landscape can be
    between the regions of kindness.
  4. region
    a large indefinite location on the surface of the Earth
    What you held in your hand,
    what you counted and carefully saved,
    all this must go so you know
    how desolate the landscape can be
    between the regions of kindness.
  5. maize
    corn
    How you ride and ride
    thinking the bus will never stop,
    the passengers eating maize and chicken
    will stare out the window forever.
  6. tender
    having or displaying warmth or affection
    Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness
    you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
    lies dead by the side of the road.
  7. gravity
    alarming importance or seriousness
    Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness
    you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
    lies dead by the side of the road.
  8. sorrow
    an emotion of great sadness associated with loss
    Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
    you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
  9. gaze
    look at with fixed eyes
    Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
    only kindness that ties your shoes
    and sends you out into the day to gaze at bread,
    only kindness that raises its head
    from the crowd of the world to say
    It is I you have been looking for,
    and then goes with you everywhere
    like a shadow or a friend.
  10. shadow
    an inseparable companion
    Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
    only kindness that ties your shoes
    and sends you out into the day to gaze at bread,
    only kindness that raises its head
    from the crowd of the world to say
    It is I you have been looking for,
    and then goes with you everywhere
    like a shadow or a friend.
Created on Fri Apr 03 10:47:42 EDT 2026 (updated Mon Apr 13 15:21:02 EDT 2026)

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